Apparently disturbed by the July 17 killing of pro-Marcos vlogger Alicia ‘Mima Alicia’ Lipata, lady senator Ana Theresia ‘Risa’ Hontiveros-Baraquel has sought the help of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) over hundreds of death threats she has received in the past month or so.
In a statement, the opposition legislator expressed much concern over Lipata’s and this has prompted her to report to the NBI that she has become the target of a wave of online death threats.
Hontiveros is asking the NBI to assist in identifying those behind the posts.
According to her, she had been receiving hundreds of social media posts declaring that she should be “next” after Lipata was gunned down outside her home in Caloocan City.
She also lamented the fact the some persons, “instead of expressing sympathy, are celebrating someone’s death and even inciting violence.”
“Now, many are also openly threatening that I will be ‘next’,” she cited.
Hontiveros condemned what she described as a growing culture of “pro-killing” rhetoric online, saying the reaction to Lipata’s death reflected the normalization of violence in political discourse.
“We are taking these threats seriously,” she added even as she disclosed that her office has already submitted to the NBI the names of Facebook users and screenshots of hundreds of posts threatening to kill her.
“My staff has routinely deleted and reported these disturbing comments on Facebook, and we have submitted to the NBI the names and screenshots of hundreds of Facebook users who have threatened to kill me,” she noted.
Hontiveros, a potential contender in the 2028 presidential election, is one of the senator-judges in the impeachment trial of Vice President ‘Inday’ Sara Duterte-Carpio, where the prosecution has presented evidence on alleged threats Duterte made against President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr., First Lady Marie Louise ‘Liza’ Araneta-Marcos and former Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.
Three NBI officials have testified that the agency considers those remarks a “serious, active and continuing plot” and continues to investigate the case.
Going back to the threats against her,
Hontiveros is urging social media platforms and law enforcement agencies to act swiftly against users making death threats or inciting violence.
“I call on social media platforms and law enforcement to act decisively against this culture of impunity online,” she enthused.
“We should never normalize threats against another person’s life. No matter how deep our political differences may be, there must be limits to our disagreements. We cannot allow such hatred to cost another life. We are better than this,” she openly challenged her critics.
In the meantime, Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian spoke out that he is honestly worried about Hontiveros’ safety in consideration if the threats against her and Lipata’s killing.
Gatchalian was able to talk with Hontiveros when the latter visited the Lipata’s wake: “I told her to be careful and to put precautionary measures, and I told her whatever the Senate can provide, like security or intelligence, she can just tell us.”
He said the Senate is ready to help and to add security for Hontiveros.
The Senate chief said the priority is to protect all the senators and to take these death threats seriously, citing that when they led the hearing on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), he and Hontiveros were also receiving death threats.
